Fundraiser Underway to Support Injured Wilbraham Police Officer

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to provide assistance to a police officer from Wilbraham who was shot while on duty over the weekend. The fundraiser, organized by the Greg Hill Foundation, has already received over $13,000 in donations as of Monday evening.

The description of the fundraiser states that the injured officer is expected to undergo surgeries and face a long road to recovery.

According to the Wilbraham Police Department, officers responded to a residence on Old Carriage Road in the town on Saturday at approximately 8:20 p.m. The officers were called in response to a report of a man threatening other residents in the home. Upon arrival, the officers engaged in a gunfire exchange with a 53-year-old man named Michael Ortega, who was inside the house.

During the exchange of gunfire, a 29-year-old police officer, whose identity has not been disclosed, was shot and taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. As of Sunday, the officer was reported to be in stable condition.

The other occupants of the home managed to escape through a second-floor window onto a lower roof and were assisted down by the police using a ladder, according to the authorities. Ortega was later found inside the house with gunshot wounds and was also transported to a hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.

Ortega is now facing charges of assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon.

The incident remains under investigation, and the Wilbraham Police Department expressed their gratitude to the local community, as well as the police, fire, EMS, and hospital staff for their support.

“We greatly appreciate your ongoing support for our injured officer, their family, and friends,” the police department wrote on Facebook on Monday.

To contribute to the fundraiser for the injured officer, visit the Greg Hill Foundation’s website.